Download musical texture

CHORDS AND HARMONY
Music sounds are a little empty if notes are only played one at a time. It is the
interaction between different notes played together that gives music its richness
and color.
Before describing chords let’s define a term called interval which will help us to
understand how we build chords. An interval is the difference in the pitch between
two notes.
With some intervals, notes blend naturally together to create a pleasing or
consonant sound. Other intervals create a more jarring or dissonant sound. Both
consonant and dissonant intervals are used in music, ideally in a balanced way.
Chords are built from the combination of intervals formed by playing three or more
different notes together.
The way in which we build chords and combine them is defined asharmony.
Major chord
A very common chord type is the major chord, which contains the root, the major
third and the perfect fifth. The note which corresponds to the root gives the name
to the chord. The major third interval is two tones above the root. The perfect fifth
interval is three and a half tones above the root.
C majorchord
Minor chord
Another common chord is the minor chord, which contains a root, a minor third
(one and a half tones above the root) and a perfect fifth (three and a half tones
above the root).
C minorchord
As when you compare the major scale and the minor scale, the major and minor
chords create different atmospheres. The major chord can be more positive and
clear and the minor chord can be more negative and dark.
MUSICAL TEXTURE
Musical texture refers to the number of layers that is heard when an
individual listens to a musical piece and the way in which they interact in a
composition. There are three main types of musical textures in music. They are
monophonic texture, polyphonic texture and homophonic texture.
Monophonic texture
The word “mono” means one or single.Therefore we hear monophonic texture when
a person sings alone without accompaniment or background music. So we can say
that monophonic texture is heard when a single melodic line is performed without
accompaniment. That single melody could be played or sung by one or many
instruments or voices.
Polyphonic texture
The word “poly” means many. So polyphonic texture describes a musical texture in
which two or more melodic lines of relatively equal importance are performed
simultaneously. The melodic voices are independent from each other or in imitation
with one another.
Homorhythmic texture
If all the parts have mostlythe same rhythm, the texture is described as
homorhythmic.
Melody and accompaniment
The most common texture in Western music ismelody and accompaniment:
multiple voices of which one, the melody, stands out prominently and the others
form a background of harmonic accompaniment.